OK. I know, I know: this is a mashup. I know this is a Beyonce song, and I would be judging myself too if Joey LaBeija’s mash wasn’t poetry. But it totally is. This is one of many mashups the New York DJ has posted in the past couple of months, usually mixing some forgotten or beloved early 2000s track with some mysterious, watery Night Slugs fare (read Danity Kane and Jam City). But this is much more than Girl Talk. By griming up “End of Time,” LaBeija actually makes the song apocalyptic, which — like — is the whole crux of the Beyonce song, but that meaning is lost on the original production.
And yes, I-know-I-know, I’m posting about a mashup, but pooping on mashups is like pooping on contemporary art. It’s not about the virtuosity. It’s about the fact that Joey LaBeija had and followed through with this idea and put it out into the world. I’m really excited about the way that Joey and other DJs in the queer NY scene are using and appropriating the 2000s. Yes, it is happening a ton right now in many different circles to varying degrees of success, but some DJs, like Joey, are mindful and intentional about it.
• Joey LaBeija: https://soundcloud.com/joeylabeija
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